NFC South Might Steal the Show
Dan Mohrmann
There’s nothing more exciting than a heated division battle at the end of any sports season. With only a few games to play, it’s always interesting to see if a team can man up and win two out of three when it matters the most.
Look for the NFC South to be such a division for the 2006 NFL season. Every team in the division has something that can win it or lose it for them and because of that, every game will count for each team. All the basics are covered in that division from a Super Bowl champ, an NFC champ, the NFL’s single greatest wild card and the most promising young talent the NFL might ever see.
Picking a winner for this division is like picking Jessica Simpson or Jessica Alba as a wife. In this case, however, the Carolina Panthers will sit atop all others at the end of the season. Jake Delhomme has proven his worth as an NFL quarterback and he can only get better the more he plays. The defense has been solid for a while, and the primary reason is the way Julius Peppers and the defensive line have been able to get pressure on the quarterback. Add running back DeAngelo Williams from Memphis and the Panthers are an all-around threat to win the NFC if not the Super Bowl.
The Tampa Bay Bucs will finish second in 2006, but don’t be surprised if the division is settled by the final match-up between the Panthers and the Bucs. Quarterback Chris Simms doesn’t have enough experience to lead his team to back-to-back division titles, but he can take the Bucs to the playoffs and maybe win a game. He doesn’t have to do it alone as he has offensive rookie of the year Cadillac Williams in the backfield. The Bucs also used the draft to improve the offensive line when they snagged guard Davin Joseph from Oklahoma. They also snatched another receiving threat in Notre Dame’s Maurice Stovall. The big question mark is the defense. The squad hasn’t been the same since safety John Lynch departed for Denver, but if the defense can hold their own, the Bucs should be division contenders and a playoff threat.
Where the Atlanta Falcons will do exceed expectations is in the heart of their wild card. Quarterback Mike Vick has been the most exciting player in the NFL for the last couple of seasons. His problem is that he has been blessed with a supporting squad, and almost every honor that the Falcons have achieved in the last four years has been due to Vick. Running back Warrick Dunn has been able to take some pressure of Vick from time to time, but as long as teams can focus most of their attention on the wild card, the Falcons are stuck in the backfield.
Perhaps the most unpredictable of teams in the division is the New Orleans Saints. They were handed a birthday gift in the form of quarterback Drew Brees and a Christmas gift in the form of USC running back Reggie Bush. For the first time in over a year, the city of New Orleans might have something to cheer about. The problem with the Saints lies in the questionable front office and the even more questionable defense. The team might not be ready to contend in 2006, but teams should be watching out for them in the future.
This division will be a trench fight all season. Don’t expect one team to run away with the top spot, but don’t be surprised if one team falls out of the race by mid-October. Regardless of what happens, fans should strap in for one exciting ride.